RIPLEY, W.Va. — Four livestock auctioneers from the Farmworld readership area have proven they have what it takes to keep an audience engaged during an auction. Jay Romine (Mt. Washington, Kentucky), Daniel Mitchell (Cumberland, Ohio), Jacob Massey (Petersburg, Tennessee) and Ed Leist (Gaylord, Michigan) were regional qualifiers of the 2023 World Livestock Auctioneer Championships (WLAC).

They earned the right to advance to the WLAC semifinals and finals at Arcadia Stockyard in Arcadia, Florida in June.

Finalists were chosen from several regions across the United States. At each event the contestant had to sell at least eight drafts of livestock. They were  judged on the clarity and quality of their chant, presentation, ability to catch bids, and how likely the judge would be to hire the auctioneer. Judges for the qualifying events were livestock market owners, managers, dealers and allied industry members from across the nation.

At the semifinals and finals, the competition will be composed of two parts: an interview and live auction selling.

Romine and Leist landed among the top 10 in the regional qualifier held in Ripley, W.Va., at the Jackson County Regional Livestock Market in October. There were 27 contestants at this location.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Romine decided to become a livestock auctioneer in Kentucky. The decision was an easy one after attending livestock auctions with his father and seeing all the fun auctioneers seemed to have while on the block.

 “They sounded cool and they were always smiling, laughing and having a good time,” Romine said.

Romine is a Bullitt County native who graduated from Missouri Auction School in 1986. In addition to being an auctioneer for Wiggington Romine Auctioneers, Jay has been a fulltime auctioneer at the Bluegrass Stockyards since 1991.

Leist is a four-time Michigan Auctioneers Championship finalist and was second runner up in the Greater Midwest Livestock Auctioneering Championship in 2020.

He began conducting auctions with his father in 2001. He graduated from the World Wide College of Auctioneering in 2004.

The third of three qualifying events was held at the Windsor Livestock Auction Company in Windsor, Missouri, on Jan. 4. At this locale there were 48 competitors.

 Among those advancing to the semifinals in Florida this June were Jacob Massey of Petersburg, Tennessee, and Daniel Mitchell of Cumberland, Ohio. 

 Massey is no stranger to this level of competition. He was named champion at the 2018 WLAC Midwest Regional qualifying event, beating out 20 other competitors. 

 “Auctioneering came natural from being around dad, who was also an auctioneer,” Massey said.

“Over my years of competition, I’ve gained a lot of lifelong auctioneer friends from many different states,” he said. “Each WLAC event I attend I take something new I’ve learned from the other auctioneers, back to our business.”